Does putting a grammar school first on the CAF help?

First place is preference, not extra eligibility

The Common Application Form (CAF) is your secondary school application to your home council. It asks you to put schools in preference order: the one you would most like first, followed by your next choice, and so on.

Under equal preference, each school considers your child against its published admissions rules. A child who lists a school second does not receive a lower priority simply because another family lists it first. The council then coordinates a single offer, using your order when more than one school has a place available for your child. [1]

Example

Suppose you prefer Grammar School A to Local School B. These fictional examples show how the outcome changes when a place is unavailable or you reverse your preferences.

A WORKED EXAMPLEFictional schools

Both can offerGrammar cannot offerLocal school listed first

Your preference orderCan offer a place?

1. 1Grammar School A✓Yes
2. 2Local School B✓Yes
3. 3School C✓Yes

Your offer in this exampleGrammar School A

A and B both have a place available for this child. A is higher on the CAF, so the council offers A.

“Can offer” means the child ranks high enough for an available place under that school’s rules. Passing the 11+ alone does not establish this.

The same principle applies when you list more than one grammar school: order them by your preference, while checking the separate entry requirements for each. Kent’s admissions guide includes examples showing how the council selects the highest available preference. [2]

What happens to your second choice?

If your first choice cannot offer, a lower preference is considered using its own admissions criteria. You have not lost priority at the second school by trying for the first.

That does not guarantee a second-choice place. Local School B may also have more applicants than spaces. Your child still needs to rank high enough under B’s rules. This is why the combination of schools you list matters as much as putting them in the right order.

A grammar school pass also needs careful reading. Some schools use a qualifying standard; others rank candidates by score, and priority groups or distance may affect allocation. Check the current policy rather than treating a pass as a promise of a place. Read more about qualifying versus receiving an offer. [4]

What to check before putting it first

1. The result and any further test stageCheck whether your child meets the school’s academic requirements and whether another assessment is needed.
2. The rules when there are more applicants than placesRead the oversubscription criteria for your entry year. Look for the score, catchment, distance and priority rules that apply to your child.
3. The daily journey and school itselfCompare the actual morning journey, subjects, pastoral support and your child’s experience of the school. A higher ranking alone need not make it your first choice.
4. The rest of your preferencesInclude schools you would accept and have a realistic chance of securing. A “backup” is still assessed under its own admissions policy.
5. Your application and supporting formsApply through your home council, including schools in other council areas. Check the submission deadline and any separate test registration, supplementary form or evidence requirement.

GOV.UK explains how to apply through your local council. Test registration and the CAF are separate parts of admissions; see which forms you need to complete. If you have already submitted your preferences, check your council’s rules before changing the CAF.

The sensible rule

If you could choose between the schools, which would you choose? Put that school higher. Then check that every school on your form is one you would accept and that your list includes realistic options.

This page explains the normal coordinated Year 7 application process in England. If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan, their placement is arranged through the separate EHC plan process; speak to your council’s SEND team. [2]